Ask HN: What paywalled content do you pay for?
I've been an avid reader of non-paywalled (free) content for a while now, but want to try paying to access content. I know the old maxim: "If you're not the customer, then you're the product". But it doesn't settle well with me. I would rather pay than be a datapoint. Any first-starters or recommendations, before I make a mistake and end up choosing the wrong sources to get my paid-for news/articles? What are the obvious choices?
16 comments
Washington Post, New York Times, Economist, Wall Street Journal, Netflix. All worth it in my opinion.
I think it depends on your interests. For example, Wall Street Journal articles seem quite popular on HN.
I used to pay for WSJ online. But I stopped many years ago. The WSJ, like most other publications, offers discounted or promotional subscriptions to various subgroups. At the same time they invariably increase prices for existing subscribers.
I hate price discrimination. I refuse to be the sucker paying hundreds of dollars a year while they offer cut rate subscriptions to everyone else. I hate it enough that I now don't pay them a nickel.
Consequently, when WSJ articles are posted here, I enjoy "free" access via the inevitable archive.is link that usually appears in the comments.
I used to pay for WSJ online. But I stopped many years ago. The WSJ, like most other publications, offers discounted or promotional subscriptions to various subgroups. At the same time they invariably increase prices for existing subscribers.
I hate price discrimination. I refuse to be the sucker paying hundreds of dollars a year while they offer cut rate subscriptions to everyone else. I hate it enough that I now don't pay them a nickel.
Consequently, when WSJ articles are posted here, I enjoy "free" access via the inevitable archive.is link that usually appears in the comments.
Pornography and Lapham's Quarterly
I pay for LWN. [1]
[1] - https://lwn.net/
[1] - https://lwn.net/
I pay for a physical newspaper on saturday. I have access to the web version for the rest of the week, but I don't read it at all. It's slightly related, but I think that there is something deeply unaesthetic with reading news on a tablet.
I paid $8/month for a Washington Post digital subscription, but I screwed up and got cut off. I probably need to get back on, as I regularly want to read 3 or 4 of their articles a day.
My problem with paying for paywalled content is that paying or not, they still ask you to agree to nonsensical privacy policies that allow them to stalk you by every means possible.
For example, see the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?destination=%2f...
> Premium EU Ad-Free Subscription > No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking
And yet on the actual signup page you still get the following:
> By subscribing, you agree to the use by us and our third-party partners of technologies such as cookies to personalize content and perform analytics
Until this changes, my middle finger and ad blocker are the only things these idiots will get.
For example, see the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?destination=%2f...
> Premium EU Ad-Free Subscription > No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking
And yet on the actual signup page you still get the following:
> By subscribing, you agree to the use by us and our third-party partners of technologies such as cookies to personalize content and perform analytics
Until this changes, my middle finger and ad blocker are the only things these idiots will get.
Technology Review from MIT so I can read it on my Kindle
Stratechery daily updates.
In the order of usefulness:
- Safaribooks
- Economist
- Technology Review
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime
On and off I pay for cloud.guru, pluralsight or udemy
- Safaribooks
- Economist
- Technology Review
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime
On and off I pay for cloud.guru, pluralsight or udemy
ProtonMail, NTFLX, VSCO, Photoshop
Netflix, Amazon prime.
The Economist
The Diplomat
The Diplomat
None
economist
I do not read paywalled content.